Video of 13-Year-Old Cooper Flagg in Mavs Jersey Resurfaces After Draft Lottery

Maybe Cooper Flagg to the Mavericks was destined to be all along.

Cooper Flagg talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine. / David Banks-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks shocked the NBA world for the second time this calendar year earlier this week, although this surprise was far more well-received than their previous creative endeavor.

Just a few short months after the Mavericks decided to trade away superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas astoundingly won the right to the first pick in the upcoming draft via the lottery. The Mavs won the lottery despite entering the day with just a 1.8% chance of leaving with the first pick, and even needed to win a coin flip to keep their spot in the countdown before a single ball was drawn.

If it feels like the fates lined up to bring near-certain No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg to Dallas, well, maybe they are.

An old video of Flagg practicing in Maine resurfaced after Dallas won the draft lottery. In the video, a young Flagg can be seen running drills while rocking a Mavs jersey.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by SportsCenter NEXT (@sportscenternext)

While it seems like the Mavs’ lottery win came out of nowhere, or according to conspiracy theorists, came directly from somewhere, maybe it’s possible that Flagg was fated to be in Dallas from the start.

---

More NBA on Sports Illustrated

feed